From Riku's Heart
by R.N.Taylor
Summary: The kingdom Hearts story from the perspective of Riku. (Sorry there isn't more in the summary yet)


A quick note from the writer:  
I had written a Kingdom Hearts story when I first created this account from, of corse, Sora's perspective and then never really played Kingdom Hearts again in till recently. To my surprise the intro gave me chills and all the love I had for this game and it's story line came rushing back to me. I became exited and nostalgic.. And then I saw Riku and it occurred to me that I never really thought about him as a character. It was always all about Sora and Kairi for me.  
So, I know that there must be a few storys on here about him, not that I would really know, honestly I have never read one.. But I really want to write one now, even though I haven't worked on any fanfictions at all since July of 2011..  
anyway, I'll shut up now. Enjoy my new story. I rated it T because I am not sure how graphic it may get, but I know I am not going to write a sex scene.  
(As always, thank you to my beta reader, Rex Greene. He can only read my stuff on the weekends, so I will have a new chapter once a week or so, I hope. ^-^ But I will definitely keep writing till the end of the first game's story-line at the very least.)

* * *

Riku stood triumphant as the others doubled over, panting and cursing in frustration. Kairi sat on the edge of the raft, shaking her head at him and smiling in amusement. Riku smiled back.

"Oh my gosh, Riku," Selphie panted, jump rope in a crumpled mess at her feet.

"You're too much, man," added Wakka.

Tidus stood up straight and looked around. "Where's Sora at?" He sighed, sounding annoyed. "I bet you wouldn't have stood a chance with four to one."

Riku chuckled, shaking his head. "He's napping on the shore line. Besides, I still would have beaten you. Didn't even break a sweat."

"Well see about that later." Tidus smiled.

Riku opened his mouth for a retort but Kairi cut him off. "Shouldn't we be working on the raft?" She called over to him, getting to her feet. "We're almost done and I thought you wanted to get out of here."

"Okay, okay. Go wake Sora. I'll be there in a bit."

"She sure looks eager to go see him," Wakka teased, punching Riku lightly in the arm as Kairi hurried away.

"Yeah," Selphie giggled. "Looks like Sora's stealing your thunder."

Riku laughed. "Come on, you guys, you know I see her more as a little sister."

"Sure," Tidus teased as Riku rolled his eyes.

...

"Here's another log," Riku said, dropping it at her feet and watching Sora run off to collect his things.

"You don't need to bring anything," Kairi laughed. You already made almost the whole inter raft."

"Yeah, I know, but I found it on my way over and thought I would grab it for us."

"So... Where are we going?"

"Away from here. Don't worry." Riku sighed, deep in thought. "We'll take care of you. And we can always come back here again."

Kairi smiled a little. "'Kay."

...

The waves crashed against Riku's little island and he listened, sitting in his tree, platinum hair blowing in the wind behind him.

_"So.. Where are we going?"_

_"Away from here."_

Riku was only fifteen but had lived on the island all his life. There was only so much to see there and he was bored with it and had been for a long time.

_There has to be more than this_, he thought. _More than this little piece of land..._

But what if there wasn't? What if they set sail and the raft goes in a straight line, leading them back to the island? What if this WAS all there is? Just him, Sora, Kairi, Tidus, Selphie, Wakka, there parents and this little bit of land?

Riku shook his head. That couldn't be it. If it was, then where had Kairi came from? No, there had to be more.. So much more.. But so far away.. Or was it? And why here? Why couldn't he have ended up there?.. wherever "there" was.

"Riku?"

Riku looked down to see Sora standing below him, looking back up. "Hey," he mumbled, looking back out at the ocean. "Did you get everything we need for the raft? I gave my stuff to Kairi."

"No, not yet."

Riku shook his head to himself. _Of course he hasn't..._

"I just came to ask... Could I get some paopu fruit off this tree?"

"What?" Riku looked back down at him, surprised. "Why?"

"Well.. Never mind."

Riku was silent for a moment before engaging him again. "I doubt you could reach any. they grow really high. I've never even been able to get one down."

"Selphie has one.."

Riku said nothing for a moment. "How about a quick round?" Riku looked at Sora who smiled in excitement.

"Okay, you're on!"

"This one decides the champion!"

...

Selphie sat quietly at the dock, looking out at the ocean, a dreamy look on her face. Riku sat down beside her.

"I saw you dueling Sora," she informed him. "Did you win?"

"Of course!"

Selphie giggled.

"So..." He began, hesitantly.

"Hm?"

"Sora says you have a paopu fruit?"

Selphie smiled.

"I'v never been able to get one down. How did you get it?"

"I wanted to try it. It's such a wonderful thought, isn't it? To have your destiny locked to the person you care for most, forever."

"Yeah, I guess."

"I just threw things at it till it fell. It was pretty easy." She laughed. She pulled out a star-shaped, yellow mass from her pocket. "I just have to find someone to share it with."

...

Riku stood at the base of the paopu tree and stared up at the fruit. He had never tried this before and couldn't understand why he never thought of it. He began to remove his shoe; the only thing he had to throw, and chucked it hard.

Selphie had been right. The shoe collided with two at once and they fell with a heavy splash into the ocean Riku jumped in quickly, worried that ether his shoe or the fruit would float away.

Their skin was smooth and perfect like glass, and warm from the sun. The first one was bigger then his hand and it was soft, almost squishy. The other was a bit smaller then the first. It wasn't as squishy and it had occurred to him It hadn't yet ripened.

He Stared at the star shapes for a long time before taking the biggest one and bringing it to his nose to smell;

_Sweet and tangy... like a mango..._

It smelt so good and he couldn't help but wonder what it tasted like. Riku slowly dug his nails into the skin and pulled it back to reveal a much lighter shade of yellow. He brought it to his mouth and bit down. It was smooth like a mango, the way it had smelt, but citrusy, almost like an orange. It was delicious and juicy and he took a bigger bite than the first. He couldn't stop. He had never had anything like it.

_One last bite.._

And then he stopped. Riku stared at the last little bit of fruit in his hand._  
_

_"To have your destiny locked to the person you care for most..."_

_...  
_

He shook the bottle, hoping the fruit juice would disappear into the water the way it had a moment before. It was a rather small piece and he had been surprised that he could get enough out of it for two bottles. It was hard to see in the orange glow of the sunset but he was sure they wouldn't notice. He couldn't tell anyone what he had been planning. What if they refused?_  
_

_This was such a good idea.. Now I know we will be safe together..._

"Riku!"_  
_

Riku jumped and spun around to see Sora and Kairi running over to him. "We finished the raft!" Kairi exclaimed happily.

"Now all we need is food." Sora beamed proudly and Riku grinned.

"Great," he said, handing them both bottles. "I thought you two would be thirsty."

They smiled and took the water from him gratefully before sitting down together to watch the sun set.

"So, Kairi's home is out there somewhere, right?" Sora asked between mouth- fulls of water.

"Could be.. We'll never know by staying here."

"But how far could a raft take us?" He pressed.

"Who knows? If we have to, well think of something else.

"So, suppose we get to another world," Kairi giggled. "What would you do there?"

Riku said nothing for a moment. He hadn't thought about that part. He had been so set on getting off the island that he hadn't thought that far ahead. "I hadn't really thought about it, he admitted. "It's just... I've always wondered why we're here on this island. If there are any other worlds out there, why did we end up on this one? And suppose there are other worlds... then ours is just a little piece of something much greater. So we could have just as easily ended up somewhere else, right?"

Sora shrugged. "I don't know."

"Exactly. That's why we need to go out there and find out. Just sitting here won't change a thing. It's the same old stuff.. So... let's go."

"You've been thinking a lot lately," Kairi stared at her water. "Hay, Riku?.. why does this taste like a paopu fruit?"

"Umm.. Well, I-"

"You've eaten one," Sora cut him off.

Kairi giggled again. "Once. But I didn't share it with anyone."

He looked relieved. "Oh... I've never had one, but I thought the water tasted like mangos." They both looked at Riku.

"There was juice in them," he lied. "I thought I rinsed it all out. Sorry."

"Oh," Kairi smiled. "It's fine. I should be going to bed. It's getting late" She stood.

"Yeah, me too," Sora said, stretching and standing with her. They turned to walk away and Riku reached into his pocket for the other paopu.

"Hey, Sora!"

Sora turned and Kairi continued to walk to her boat.

Riku tossed the star shape at him and he caught it. "You wanted one, didn't you?"

"A paopu fruit?"

"If two people share one, there destines become intertwined.. They become part of each other's lives, no matter what."

Sora stared at it.

"Come on, I know you wanna try it." Riku smiled jokingly before busting up laughing.

Sora glared and threw the star-shape on the ground, annoyed. "You, know," he said as they walked to the boats together. "It's funny that you and I were just talking about paopus today and we have never talked about it before.. and then Kairi brought it up too."

"I guess..."

"Do you think she wants to... you know... eat one... with... someone."

Riku grinned. "With who?"

Sora blushed.

"Do you think it would work if more than two people shared one?" Riku asked as he got into his boat.

"I don't know. I guess."

...

Riku couldn't sleep that night. He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, thinking about setting sail in only two more days. He was so excited and he felt like he was going crazy waiting. He wanted to go.. He needed to go. And he just couldn't wait there any more. He jumped up out of bed and left his room to get to his boat.

It was late and everyone was asleep. The moon was shinning above him, reflecting off the soft ocean waves as he rowed.

_I'm not going back there,_ he told himself. _I'm never going back..._

Riku had a moment where he thought about leaving on the raft as soon as he got there, but as he tied up his boat, he thought better of it. He couldn't take it there any more. He needed to get away, but he couldn't leave his friends and he knew that.

He sat by the waterfall looking up at the stars for a long time when something caught his eye.

_It looked like someone had been moving in that cave. What did we use to call it when we were kids?..._

Riku stood and walked over.

_The secret place!_

He ducked down and went inside. There were doodles all over the rock walls. He remembered doing some of them, but years ago. This place seemed to have been forgotten. He walked down a narrow path to a wide opening where more graffiti covered the walls... and there was a door.

_Had that been there before?... I can't remember ... Maybe._

And then there it was again. Someone was in there.

Riku spun around and there in the corner was a person. He was tall and wearing a dark brown cloak that completely covered him. He just stood there, facing Riku.

"Who- who are you?"

"I?" His voice was deep and oddly loud. "I am the seeker of darkness. I have come to see the door to this world."

Riku glanced over his shoulder and the strange door. "A door to... This world?"

"This world has been connected."

"Connected?. To what?"

"Darkness."

Riku turned back to the odd man. "I don't understand."

"Of course you don't."

"What's going to happen?"

"This world will be swallowed. Swallowed by darkness; completely eclipsed."

"What do we do?" He turned back to look at the door.

"Embrace it. Don't be afraid."

_Afraid?_

Riku got mad at this. "I'm not afraid of anything!" But before he could turn to confront the mysterious stranger, he was gone.

_Coward_, he though bitterly.

_But bizarre. Who was that guy? "I am the seeker of darkness" ... What does that even mean?_

...

Riku didn't get an ounce of sleep that night. He couldn't get that strange man's voice out of his head.

_"I am the seeker of darkness. I have come to see the door to this world." ... "This world has been connected." Connected... to what? Other worlds?_

Riku stared out across the ocean in the morning sun light.

_... Other worlds..._

"You okay?"

Riku snapped back to reality to see Sora standing beside him. "Yeah, I was... Just thinking."

"About what?"

"Our raft still needs a name," he informed him, trying to avoid his thoughts and especially telling anyone about them. "How about Highwind?"

"Hmm.."

"Well, what would you name it?"

"How about Excaliber?"

Riku's eyes narrowed. "How about a race?"

Sora grinned. "The usual?" Riku nodded. "Okay, if I win, I name the raft and I'm captain. If you win-"

"If I win, I get to share a Paopu with Kairi."

Sora stopped for a moment, confused. "What?"

"Deal? the winner gets to share a Paopu with Kairi."

"Wha.. Wait a minute-"

"The usual rules apply. Take any route you want. First one to tag the tree and make it back here, wins."

"What!"

"Ready? Go!"

...

Sora collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. "No fair! I wasn't ready!"

Riku laughed as he doubled over, panting. "It's just a name, man. Lighten up."

"Man... I guess you really want Kairi."

"Huh? Oh, the Paopu thing? It was just a joke."

Sora glared in frustration as Riku laughed.

"You should have seen your face! How about another lap around the course?"

Sora stood up. "I'll pass," he said, anger in his voice.

"Aww! come on. It was just a joke. Are you mad or something?"

Sora didn't respond. He only walked away, Riku staring after him.

...

The day seemed to stretch on forever. Riku already decided he wasn't going home. He had everything he needed right there. He wondered if his parents had noticed his absence yet. He hadn't bothered telling them about the raft. He knew they would just freak out and demand that he stay on the islands with them.

He wandered if Sora or Kairi had said anything about it to their parents. Probably not. He didn't really care much whether or not they had, as long as he got to get off the island with them.

What if they didn't go though? Would he be able to go? Assuming the legend was true, and also that the juice was enough, their destines were now locked together. What would happen if they parted ways? Could they ever part ways?

Riku shut his eyes tight, trying to clear his mind. They would be leaving tomorrow and he didn't want to be thinking of these things now.

The sun was almost set and Sora and Kairi were nowhere to be seen. It felt oddly silent in the light of dusk that day. All was still. Even the ocean waves failed to be heard, and no wind blew.

Strange..

Riku walked around the island. He couldn't wait to leave but he couldn't help but think this was the last night he would spend here, ever again. So many memories would be gone by the next night; the trees, the cove, the tree house, the secret place...

_Oh, yeah... that guy in the secret place. I wonder if he's still there._

Riku ducked into the small cave with curiosity. He was hoping to talk to him this time. Where did he come from? What did he mine by "eclipsed by darkness?"

Riku saw him the moment he walked in this time. His back was turned and his hood was down. Long, platnum hair fell over his back and his hands were on the odd door. Riku watched without speaking as the man spoke under his breath.

The door began to glow bright and seemed to pulsate. Oddly shaped shadows danced and ran around the cave.

_Do they have eyes?... No, shadows don't have eyes..._

Slowly, the door opened and a thick, black smoke poured out. Riku watched with wide eyes as the man stepped slowly into the dark depths, black smoke seeming to pull him in and then he was gone.

The door still glowed but there was silence, yet something rang in his ears.

_Silence? No... Something else. But what?_

Louder and louder it rang. It began to pierce and almost burn. He brought his hands to his ears but it only made it worse. Louder and louder, it continued until that was all he could hear, that was all he could think and all he could feel. It vibrated in his chest and in his brain. He shook his head violently, but still it continued.

_It's this place! It's that door!_

Spinning around quickly, he ran, using all his strength to get away from... whatever it was. He practically tumbled out of the cave and then it was gone. Just like that, silence again.. But was it because the world had fallen silent? Or had he gone deaf?

He stood, almost paralyzed, gazing at the scene before him; black clouds swirled above as if a storm was coming. Waves crashed fiercely against the rocks and the shore. Yet all was silent. Slowly he stepped foreword and his footsteps were soundless as well. His eyes were drawn to the paopu tree and above it something moved in the sky.

A grate, black ball descended from the clouds and hung above his little mini island. It flashed and glowed as if lightning had been trapped within. He stepped closer, and still, all was silent.

_Is this a dream? Have I gone mad?_

Slowly, he continued to walk, eyes locked on the mysterious shape in the sky, until he reached the edge of the small island and he was standing almost directly below it.

_He did this. That man. He... Opened the door? And what came out? This?_

_"Darkness." ... "This world will be swallowed.. Swallowed by darkness; completely eclipsed." ... "Embrace it. Don't be afraid."_

"Riku!"

_Sora's voice.. In my head?.._

"Riku!"

And then all the sound came back; Waves crashed, lightning struck above him, wind blew loudly in his ears. Realization swept over him and his fingertips began to twitch and tingle.

"Riku, wheres Kairi?! I thought she was with you!" He was standing behind him. He sounded frightened and panicked but Riku hadn't felt at all moved by Sora's cries. In fact, he had hardly heard him at all.

"The door... has opened.."

"What?"

Riku turned to face him, excitement burning in his light blue eyes. "The door has opened, Sora! Now we can go to the outside world!"

"What are you talking about," Sora pleaded, fear in his face. "We've gotta find Kairi!"

"Kairi's coming with us!"

Sora's eyes grew wide and he stared, disbelieving, at Riku who, to Sora, had seemed to be completely detached from the situation.

"Once we step through, we might not be able to come back.. We may never see our parents again. There's no turning back..." Riku looked back up at the ball of darkness, his back to Sora. "But this may be our only chance. We can't let fear stop us. I'm not afraid of the darkness!"

"Stop it," Sora pleaded in a panic. "We have to go find Kairi! Come with me!"

Riku turned slowly to stare blankly at Sora. Black smoke formed at his feet and rose up over his head, dancing around him. It was pure warmth and he reached out his hand to his friend. Sora continued to stare as he watched the smoke take over Riku. He hurried forward and reached out to him in fear but it was to late. The darkness took over and swallowed him, leaving Sora alone. And all was dark.

Riku felt weightless. Silence surrounded him once more and it was completely black and warm.. too warm. He blinked but still it was black and the warmth kept getting greater. His feet began to burn in his sneakers. He tried to move but couldn't. It felt as though his muscles had turned to water and everything continued to get hotter as if a fire had been lit beneath him.

Riku opened his moth to yell but nothing came out. Hotter and hotter, it just wouldn't stop. He shut his eyes tight, sure that he was about to burn to death. The heat was intense and, needless to say, far to much for him. As the temperature continued to rise, Riku felt himself slip away as pain took him and he passed out.


End file.
